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No. 751,458. PATENTED FEB. 9, 1904. L. CASPER. STATION INDICATOR ANDADVERTISING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2, 1898.

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No. 751,458.. PATENTED FEB. 9,' 1904.

L. CASPER. STATION INDICATOR AND ADVERTISING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 2, 1898.

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No. 751,458. PATENTEDFEB. 9, 1904. L. CASPER. STATION INDICATOR ANDADVERTISING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2, 1898. N0 MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

AAA/Ar 2iINVENTOR WITNESSES C. )M 04 x/ PHUYO-UYHO" mam UNITED STATESPatented February 9, 1904.

PATENT Tric a.

LOUIS CASPER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

STATION-INDICATOR AND ADVERTISING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION formingipart of Letters Patent No. 751,458, dated February9, 1964.

Application filed May 2, 1898. Serial No. 6'79,4= 55. (N0 model.) i

To 00% whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, LoUIs CASPER, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State ofIllinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Station-Indicatorsand Advertising Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, durable, and compactmethod of indicating streets or stations on a railroad-car or othervehicle by means of automatically-revolving display-curtains which admitof sufficient space on their surface for advertisements or other displaymatter in addition to street or station announcements. This arrangementalso provides for a large number of curtains to be confined in acomparatively small space without loss of efiiciency to the indicatorproper or curtailing the length of the curtains. The indicator-boxproper is applicable for display and advertising purposes in such placesother than a car or other vehicle.

Referring to the drawings, which are hereto annexed and form a part ofthis specificae tion, Figure 1 is a front view of the indicator oradvertising device; Fig. 2, an end view of the same; Fig. 3, a detail ofindicator, showing the endless-chain gear that holds the curtains; Fig.4, another view of the same; Fig. 5, a view of sprocket-wheel Whereinafter described;.Fig. 6, another view of the same; Fig. 7, a viewshowing electrical connections between magnet M and trail-wheelcombination B; Fig. 8, a view of a car, showing position of indicatorand trail-wheel combination on the same; Fig. 9, a train of cars withindicators connected up in series; Fig. 10, a train of cars, showingindicators con: nected up in series; Fig. 11, a detail view of indicatoror advertising device; Fig. 12, a front view of the trail-wheelattachment; Fig. 13, a side elevation of the same. Fig. 14: is adiagrammatic view of the switch N and its connections.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, M is an electromagnet which when energizedattracts armature A, that swings at pivot O. Mounted on the upper end ofsaid armature is an angular click or pawl which is held in constanttension against ratchet-wheel B, into which said pawl engages by meansof spring S. Securely attached to ratchet-wheel R is pinion P, whichengages with gear-wheel W that revolves shaft D. Mounted on this shaftare sprocket-wheels W and W, which drive endless chains E and E, thathold loosely pivot- The endless chains E and E extend over and aroundsprocket-wheels IN and W, W and W The sprocket-wheels W, W, VV ,and Ware simied between them curtain-rods C.

lar in construction. Wheel W being hidden behind wheel W is not shown.

O represents curtains of any .suitable pliable material, each having arod O at the upper end of the same. The curtains have an edging F, oftin or other suitable material, attached transversely at the lower endor bottom of each curtain. The edging or strip F is for the purpose ofmetallic connection across the back of the curtain when the pillars G Gengage same. These curtains are also pro-, vided' with a weight orcounterbalance F. This weight is placed transversely onthe back of eachcurtain and intermediately between the 'top and bottom'of same,(approximately about one-third of the way from the top.) The weight F isfor the purpose of quickly tripping or dropping a curtain after aportion of same has been pulled over the front sprocket-wheels. Thepreferable method of attaching the weight F is by having it sheathedbetween anextra strip of cloth and the back of the curtain proper, saidextra piece of cloth being held in place by two rows of stitching, with,the weight F- between said rows of stitching. -The weight F may be astrip of tin or the like. I do not ,wish, however, to confine myself tothis method of at- P. This closes the circuit C thus energizing themagnet M, which actuates the armature A. In turn this operates the pawlPand the ratchet-wheel R, the said wheel driving the pinion P, and thispinion drives the shaft D. This shaft drives sprocketwheels W and W,which are engaged with chain-gear E and E, that have the curtain-rods Cloosely pivoted between them. Each curtain is brought in its turn torelease pieces G and G. When said release-pieces liberate the curtain Cat edging F, the additional weight F brings the curtain down without anyhalt and also assists the same in forming a loop just before dropping,.so that only a limited space is necessary between the dropping curtainand the outer casing X.

The release-pieces G are so shaped and adjusted that they press downwardonly on the foremost edging F and as a consequence will only release onecurtain at a time. The exact adjustment of release-pieces G is obtainedby thumb rods H, the threads of which pass through said release-pieces,and by turning one of the thumb-rods H either right or left therelease-piece corresponding is set back or forward. The release-piecesslide in grooves Z Onlyone groove is shown.

S is a retractile spring which brings armature A against check-screw Iwhen the magnet M is not energized. The tension of spring S is regulatedby adjusting-lever J.

To prevent the armature A from striking the end of magnet M, a thumb-rodK is used, and the end of the same may be reinforced with soft rubber orthe like to soften the blow and deaden the sound of armature A when thesame is in action.

To prevent the pawl P from skipping a tooth, pawl L and spring S areused, which act as a check while pawl P is returning to it normal orresting position after having forced ratchet-wheel R forward one tooth.

N is a switch by which the currrent may be turned ofi? and on asdesired.

0 is a shaft connected securely with ratchetwheel R and pinion P. Thisshaft may be fitted with a key to allow adjustment by hand,

. wheel W revolves the contact-pin P strikes if necessary.

Referring to Figs. 12 and 13, Q is a wheel resting on rail Q. Throughthe center of said wheel is shaft T. At one end of said shaft is aworm-gear U, which engages in gear-wheel W. The gear-wheel V8 revolveson its axis, which is attached to extensionpiece U. On the inner face ofsaid gearwheel is attached contact-pin P As the gearcurved contact-pieceP which closes circuit that. energizes magnet M, already described. Thecurved contact-piece is properly insulated from extension-piece U andrests on adjustable cus'hion-springs P". The trail-wheel Q is held inposition in frame Q and jar is prevented by cushion-springs Q The frameQan alarm be rung when any particular curtain is about to drop the edgingF on the curtain would consist of a metallic strip at least to extendfrom release-piece G to release-piece G, so that when said edging wouldpass under said release-pieces the circuit would be completed by contactof metal edging F with release-pieces G and G aforesaid and an alarmwould be rung. Should it be desired that no alarm be rung on someparticular curtain, the edging F on that particular curtain is theninsulated at such places where it would come in contactwith'release-pieces G and G.

Fig. 10 represents a train of cars with indicators Z connected up inseries. Y is a starting-switch, which is located at a point near thetrail-wheel. B B and B are independent batteries in circuit with andunder control of contacts 13 and P on trail-wheel attachment B, alreadydescribed.

Referring to Figs. 7 and 8, N is a switch with terminal bindingposts P",P, and' P above the same. Z is a push-button, which is used in case itis desired to make an adjustment in the indicator proper. The circuit isso connected that the magnet M will respond to either push-button Z orcontact-points P and P when the same come in contact with each other.

The trail-wheel combination described is applicable to indicators ofother design operated electrically.

The general operation isas follows: The wheel Q revolves when the cartowhich said wheel is attached moves, said wheel being attached to the carinthe manner shown and described. With every revolution of wheel Q thewheel W would be forced around the distance of one tooth throughworm-gear U on the end of axle T. The contact-pin P on wheel W wouldtherefore in course of time be brought in contact with curvedcontactpiece P resulting in energizing magnet M in the indicator properthrough circuit described. The above operation being continued wouldfinally cause one of the curtains C to drop, exposing a street orstation announcement or other display matter printed thereon. The mannerof adjusting the relative position of the curtains so that the street orstation announcements will be shown on the curtains just before thestreet or station is reached is sufiiciently well known as not torequire detailed description here.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a diagrammatic view of the preferable form orconstruction of my device. Briefly described, it embodies the,

trailer or wheel Q, which is designed to run on one of the ordinaryrails of a track. This Wheel has a shaft T, provided with a worm U,which engages the gear-wheel W provided with a contact-point P and thisat a proper moment engages a contact piece or shoe F. C refers as awhole to a circuit which is completed when the contact-point I? engagesthe part P. This circuit consists of a wire C leading from the wheel Wto a battery B and thence to a switch N, and C is a wire connectedwiththe contact part P and leading to the post P on the switch N.Normally when the switch is closed the circuit includes the wires C andC connected to the helices of the magnet M, which operates the armatureA when the parts P and P complete the circuit. In Fig. 8 I have shownthe circuit as completed through one of the track-rails, and this is themethod I employ when using the trailer Q on a front car and allowing thecircuit to be completed through the rail X, as is also shown in Fig. 9.WVhen an extra car is taken off, it is to be understood that properconnections are employed to preserve the circuit.

Now, having described my invention, whatI claim as new is 1. In a deviceof class described, the combination of two endless chains, curtainspivoted between said chains, means for operating the chains, each ofsaid curtains being provided with a transverse metallic edging at bottomof same, contact-pieces G and G for engaging same and forming electricterminals, an electric circuit and a signaling device within saidcircuit, asset forth.

2. In a device of the class described, a series of flexible curtainsmounted on endless chains, means for driving same, each of said curtainsbeing provided at itsbottom, on the back thereof, with a transve rseedging, in

- combination with the releasing devices or frictional contact-pieces GrandG, and means for adjusting the position of said contact-pieces, asset forth.

3. In a device of the class described, a series of curtains mounted onendless chains,

'means for driving same, each of the said curtains being provided at itsbottom with a metallic strip F and a weight F placed intermediatelybetween the top and bottom of' the curtain, in combination with therelease or contact pieces G G, the said pieces forming terminals in anelectric circuit having a signaling device which is actuated by'theedging F closing the circuit, as set forth.

4; In a device of the class described, a series of curtains on endlesschains, means for driving same, each of the said curtains being providedat its bottom with a metallic edging or strip F, in combination with therelease or contact pieces G G, and-means for adjusting the position ofsaid contact-pieces, as set forth.

LOUIS CASPER.

Witnesses:

A. E. DAUNGEY, C. G. HALL.

